Tribute
by Beyond Kailani
Summary: Ace knows he wants a tattoo to commemorate his new life as a pirate. He just doesn't know what


**Author Note**: I've done a fic with Sabo and Luffy so now it's Ace and Luffy's turn! This is my idea of the origins of Ace's first tattoo.

Happy Halloween! Here, have a treat!

**XXX**

**Tribute **

**XXX**

Ace sighed heavily as he reached the final page of the small leaflet he had been given by the local tattoo artist in Foosha Village. The old man had promised to do him a tattoo in repayment for Ace getting rid of some annoying kids who had been graffitiing his boat. Ace had only intervened because one of the gang had thrown a punch at Luffy but he didn't feel like mentioning that to the old man. He would take the free gift.

The only problem was, Ace had no idea what tattoo he wanted.

Ace sighed again before jerking back violently as a scrap of paper was shoved into his line of vision.

"What about this?"

The freckled teen frowned at the presented drawing before casting a side glance at Luffy who was grinning widely next to him, surrounded by scraps of paper and crayons.

"What is it?" Ace asked, more than a little dubious.

"A Sea King," Luffy declared with a grin. Ace studied the picture again. It certainly didn't look like any Sea King he had ever seen before.

"If you say so," said Ace, picking up the leaflet and idly flicking through it again.

"Don't you like it?" asked Luffy, flopping forwards onto his belly and kicking his feet loudly and carelessly against the wooden floor of the hut. Ace was half tempted to tell him to shut up but the bandit's hut was surprisingly empty for once, everyone having been given errands for the day and the silence was starting to grate on Ace's nerves.

"I've told you before, Luffy. I want something related to the Ace of Spades so it matches my Jolly Roger."

Luffy turned to eye the Jolly Roger in question where it currently stood wafting in the gentle breeze outside on the clothes line. Dadan had been almost distraught at its sudden appearance last week for reasons Ace was refusing to think too hard about. She was the old hag, thinking of her as emotional was like thinking the sea was yellow.

But regardless of how she felt and what Garp would undoubtedly have to say on the matter, Ace could feel himself getting more and more restless each day. He was itching to set out to sea but despite having been seventeen for a few months now, he had decided to wait for the worst of the winter weather to disappear before setting sail.

"What about this one?"

Ace glanced down to see Luffy had liberated the dog eared leaflet from him and was pointing at a playing card. He liked it, there was nothing obviously wrong with it and shockingly it fitted the theme he wanted, but it just didn't feel right.

"Argh!" Ace cried in frustration, falling back onto his elbows, head thrown back. "Maybe I should just get my name," he said, absently noting there was another crack in the ceiling.

"But that's so boring!" Luffy moaned as he struggled to his feet.

"Are you saying my name is boring?" Ace demanded.

"Yep. Let's see if there's anything in the Treasure Chest you can use."

Ace huffed as he watched Luffy ambled over the wooden crate the younger had deemed proudly to be their Treasure Chest. It hardly contained treasure however. It merely stored the odd trinket that Luffy had deemed too interesting to sell and a few spare clothes that they had accumulated throughout the years.

By far the most invaluable objects were the items Ace had recovered from their secret base when it became apparent that they would not be returning, such as the three sake cups, their flag, the battered clock that Luffy refused to give up despite it no longer working and a few books that Sabo had found tossed out in Gray Terminal. Luffy would occasionally take them out on rainy days, never reading but just absent mindedly paging through them. Ace had a feeling he wasn't so much seeing as hearing Sabo's voice as he read to them on an evening.

Ace suddenly realised how quiet it was and looked towards Luffy who had paused in his rummage and was staring at a sheet of half crumpled paper.

Ace recognised it immediately. It was the one and only letter they had and would ever receive from their brother. They had tucked it away in a book for safekeeping, unable to throw it out despite the tear stains and creases making it nearly impossible to read. Not that Ace needed to read it to remember the words.

Luffy was tracing the ink with a blank look.

"Sabo would have been seventeen by now, too," Ace noted as he watched Luffy draw in a steadying breath.

"He probably would've already left," Luffy teased, sending a small, watery smile at Ace over his shoulder. Ace sat up and scooted along the floor, halfheartedly punching Luffy's thin shoulder in retaliation. Luffy handed him the sheet of paper before delving back into the crate with little finesse.

Ace watched him thoughtfully for a few moments before dropping his eyes to the paper in his hands. He unfolded the sheet carefully, fully intending to take one final look at the last piece he had of his brother now since he probably wouldn't get another chance before he left, when the signature in bottom corner caught his attention.

Ace stared at it for several seconds before his face suddenly broke into a grin.

Luffy started as Ace lurched to his feet and handed him the letter.

"Don't lose that," Ace ordered, hopping around on one foot as he thrust his feet into his boots. "I'll be back later!" he shouted over his shoulder as he dived for the door.

"Where are you going?" Luffy called after him.

"I gotta see a guy!"

**xxx**

Ace heard Luffy before he saw him, which was unsurprising. He was humming a pirate shanty he had no doubt been taught by Shank's crew. Ace turned the corner on the trail that led to the hut and saw that Luffy had planted himself quite happily in Ace's Country rather than his own. Ace was under no illusion that the day he left the two rickety shelters would be made into one.

A few dry leaves cracked under foot as Ace approached, alerting Luffy who jumped to his feet and charged over. Ace watched with amusement as Luffy practically bounced around him.

"Did you get one?" At the nod of confirmation, Luffy clapped loudly. "Let me see!"

Ace rolled his eyes at the impatient demand but the annoyance was squashed by the sense of pride he felt rolling through him as he carefully unwound the bandages on his upper left arm.

"You can't touch it just yet," Ace warned, pausing to make sure Luffy had understood. Luffy nodded eagerly and Ace let the last of the bandage fall away.

Ace saw the exact moment the significance of the blank ink hit Luffy. There was a small, almost inaudible intake of breath and Ace watched as Luffy traced the lettering in the air, inches above the tender skin. Luffy finally finished and looked up, a delighted laugh breaking free. Ace grinned back.

"Like it?" he asked.

"Love it," Luffy confirmed, still laughing.

A shaft of light appeared in the growing gloom as Dadan slammed the hut door open.

"Shut up, you damn brats! Go make yourselves useful and find some dinner!" she yelled, hands on her hips and cigarette dangling from her downturned mouth.

"Look, Dadan," Luffy cried, pointing to Ace's arm. "Ace got his tattoo! Now he can leave."

Dadan hesitated ever so slightly before stepping forward and gesturing for Ace to let her look. Ace twisted so she could see the black lettering.

"You spelt your name wrong," she frowned, staring at the ASCE running vertically down Ace's arm. Luffy howled with laughter, barely managing to dodge Ace's annoyed swipe.

"I didn't spell my name wrong, you old hag!"

"Then why do you have a crossed out 'S'?" Dadan asked, flicking her cigarette butt away carelessly.

"It's for Sabo," said Luffy, turning once again to the black ink decorating his older brother's arm. "It's his Jolly Roger."

Dadan paused before turning to study the lettering again. Her mouth twitched minutely. "So it is," she said before turning and walking inside.

"Let's show the others too," Luffy said, looking up Ace.

"Sure," he agreed, casually throwing his newly tattooed arm around his little brother's shoulders, causing Luffy to twist his head at an impossible angle to try and keep the ink in sight. Ace laughed as he cast his own gaze down to his arm.

It was a fitting tribute.

**XXX**

There's probably going to be a continuation to this as I have an inkling but it's far down on my 'to do' list and I want to see how the Dressrosa arc ends first. So I'm afraid you'll have to be patient!

Let me know what you guys think!


End file.
